1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a program, and a form output method and apparatus for outputting form messages processed by an application to predetermined devices after storing the form messages into queues and, more particularly, to a program, and a form output method and apparatus for outputting online-processed or batch-processed form messages to predetermined devices after storing the form messages into queues at the same output destination.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in a form output server, a queue is arranged for each output destination such as a printer, FAX or electric medium, and after form messages are output from an application for business processing and the like and are stored into the queues, the form messages are retrieved and transferred from the queues in accordance with processing situations of the output destinations. If the queue is arranged for each output destination of the form, in consideration of requirements such as a maximum residence amount of the queues and acceptable time period until output of the forms, the queue is allocated to a separate storage media for each business operation in advance. If one (1) queue is shared by multiple applications, for example, if the queue is shared by an online business application and a batch business application, the storage medium for allocating the queue is selected in conformity to form output processing with the most rigid conditions.
However, in such a conventional form output server, when queuing and outputting are performed for form messages from multiple applications with widely different acceptable time period and maximum residence amount of the form messages, especially, when queuing and outputting are performed for form messages from a backbone system where online processing and batch processing are mixed, if the batch processing is operated in parallel with the online processing, the output amount of the form message is temporarily increased, resulting in a problem of great fluctuations of the form output amount. In this case, in consideration of the risk, a queue is usually allocated to a medium with a large capacity but low speed. However, although this can accommodate the fluctuations of the form output amount in the case that the batch processing is operated, it is problematic that output performance cannot be increased for the forms from the online business.